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Column: Carr drives in background for Mike & Mike

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Paul Carr has gone from a background role at WIBW-AM in Topeka to a comparable but much more nationally prominent role with ESPN's Mike and Mike Show.

You never hear him. And you rarely see him.
But without Paul, it would be much harder for Mike and Mike to say as much in the morning.
You remember Paul Carr. He formerly burned the browser while with AM 580 WIBW, quick to provide vitals for the Sports Voice of Kansas. Now the native Topekan does the same thing for one of ESPN’s most popular programs.
This week, Carr observes his first anniversary as the researcher for The Mike and Mike Show.
No late-night celebration is planned. Carr routinely goes to bed when the evening SportsCenter concludes. He’s up at 2 a.m., then in the office by 3 sifting through an overnight report the research department prepares. From that, Carr picks nuggets for Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic to discuss on their morning show.
“I’m basically there to answer their questions and make them sound smart,’’ Carr said. “Just make everything a more informed discussion. That’s the goal. I’m there to support them.’’
He’s there, too, because of his radio background.
The radio component of The Mike and Mike Show makes it different from other ESPN staples.
“There’s times when the television side doesn’t quite understand the radio side as much,’’ Carr said, “because they’re coming at it from a different angle. Having been in radio, I can understand a little more what kind of stories work on radio.
“I came from a different level (with AM 580), but the same story lines and characteristics will work on a national level as opposed to a local level.’’
Greenberg and Golic were first paired in October 1998 and are great together, not only because of their contrasting fan-jock backgrounds, but because they get along. The daily production meeting both attend also involves Carr and begins at 5:30 a.m.
Eastern time, mind you, since the show originates live from Bristol.
“Sometimes they have completely different thoughts and they both make sense,’’ Carr said. “They know where the other one’s going, they can lead each other there and do it with different angles. ... The show is different than most stuff on ESPN because it’s more opinion-based and it’s looser. They have more fun.’’
It’s fun for Carr, too.
Few of the 50 or so researchers employed by ESPN have weekends off. But Carr can boast of that schedule, unless he’s fulfilling his role as the network’s lead soccer researcher. He recently took on that assignment during the Confederations Cup and will return to that role in advance of the World Cup next year.
Until then, however, the alarm will continue to buzz at a frightful hour.
Fortunately, Carr’s newlywed (September 2007), Heather, remains “wonderful and patient’’ with the odd hours.
Watching nighttime sports telecasts, however, requires some technological wizardry.
“That has been tough,’’ Carr admitted. “I had to DVR a lot of KU (basketball) games this past season and would run through them in about 45 minutes while I was getting ready in the morning. That was the hardest thing to miss out on, though occasionally I just suck it up and get no sleep, like for the Super Bowl or the NCAA Tournament.’’
Still, given that he only hired on at ESPN in February 2008, Carr pinches himself on occasion. Particularly when he reflects on working with Golic and Greenberg, or sitting in the studio with any of the former soccer greats who serve as ESPN analysts.
“About once a week,’’ said Carr, “whether it’s walking on campus or I’m in the same room with somebody, I’ll stop for a second, shake my head and ask, 'What happened?’’’
Kevin Haskin can be reached at (785) 295-1159 or kevin.haskin@cjonline.com.